Different Approaches to Fire Hazards in Switzerland

Starting Friday at noon, the city of Winterthur has banned all fires within city limits—including those at designated fire pits and on private charcoal grills. The heavy thunderstorms, which accounted for about one-third of the rainfall normally recorded throughout the entire month of July during the night leading into Friday, were not sufficient to lift the ban, the city council announced.

The city of Zurich and numerous other municipalities in the canton have also already imposed a total ban on fires. The same applies in the cantons of Glarus, Uri, and St. Gallen, among others.

The two Basel cantons aren’t going quite that far. However, they have expanded the perimeter of the fire ban from 50 to 200 meters from the edge of the forest. Setting off fireworks is also prohibited in that area, although in Basel-Stadt this requires a permit anyway, except on National Day and New Year’s Eve.

The canton of Aargau limited its fire restriction zone to a 50-meter distance from the forest edge. The canton of Solothurn had already imposed a fire ban as of early July within 200 meters of the forest edge, as well as along riverbanks and lakeshores. However, marked fire pits with concrete bases may still be used within the restricted zones “with due caution.”

Still permitted in the Bernese Oberland

The Canton of Bern has drawn a line regarding the fire ban between the regions of the Mittelland, the Seeland, the Emmental, the Bernese Jura, and the Bernese Oberland. In the northern part of the canton, a fire ban is in effect in and near forests, while in the Bernese Oberland, the canton has for the time being limited its measures to a “reminder to exercise caution when handling fire in and near forests.”

The canton of Graubünden, on the other hand, exempts populated areas from the absolute ban on open fires (but not from the ban on fireworks). However, this absolute ban applies to the Chur Rhine Valley as well as to various other regions from Prättigau to Puschlav. In the remaining regions, fire pits may continue to be used “with the utmost caution.”

These differences in the scope of the fire bans can be seen on the federal government’s wildfire risk map. A wide band stretching from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance is designated as “high risk.” Parts of Central Switzerland, the Valais, and the Rhine Valley in Graubünden are classified as areas of “very high risk,” the highest level.

However, for the Bernese Oberland, Ticino, and southeastern Graubünden, only the third-highest danger level—classified as “significant”—applies, while in the Upper Engadine and the Samnaun region, the danger level is merely “moderate.”

Uncertain Outlook for the August 1 Fire

Many cantons are taking a wait-and-see approach ahead of the national holiday. The canton of Basel-Stadt states that a decision on a general ban on fireworks will be made next week. In the canton of St. Gallen, fireworks displays already approved for lakes—provided they are held at a minimum distance of 350 meters from the shore—are exempt from the ban. The canton of Glarus will decide next Wednesday on whether to ease the ban on fireworks or bonfires.